Politics

Normally I try to avoid making political statements on my blog, but I today I will make an exception. The fervor of the upcoming presidential election has sent wave after wave of propaganda over the American populace, and I figure it won't matter if I throw my two cents into the pool.

I have seen a lot of anti-Obama stuff going around on the internet. Granted, he's not the best president we've ever had, but he's certainly not the worst either. For some odd reason, people seem to think that if we can just get a Republican in the White House, everything will magically be fixed. Yet they were dead set on getting President Bush out of there when his terms were up.

It looks like Americans are more willing to blame their leaders (who are limited in what they can do, due to how the government is set up), no matter who those leaders are, for all of their troubles instead of making positive changes themselves. Isn't that the whole premise of America--to make better lives for ourselves without having to rely on a ruler to do it for us?

I firmly believe in the importance of every American citizen voting, but I'm starting to think that it doesn't matter who wins the election. It won't matter because people will still blame the president for all of their woes, no matter what has been accomplished. Even the best politician in the world can't fix a century of national debt in four years. They can't create jobs out of thin air, yet that seems to be the expectation. By virtue of being Americans, we are each entitled to be rich, prosperous and deliriously happy without having to do anything ourselves, right? That's what it means to be an American, and if it doesn't happen then it must be our leaders' fault, right?

Wrong.

Yes, our leaders play a very important role. Government is essential, and we should elect those individuals who represent the values and ideas that will help our country to reach its full potential. But no leader is a fairy godmother. They can't wave a magical wand and make our lives a fairy tale. My grandpa grew up during the Great Depression, and do you know what his family did when there were no jobs or food or government assistance? They worked even harder than before. They were frugal, they made sacrifices, and they looked beyond themselves and helped others who were in need. They knew that their personal happiness was in their own hands, and they strove to be a support to the community.

I understand that there are people in desperate circumstance, and they are making every effort to make ends meet. However, there are also a lot of people who sit around complaining that the world owes them something because they've "paid their dues" (whatever that means to them).

So, before you jump on the bandwagon with all of those who are decrying President Obama as a fascist who kicks puppies, ask yourself if you really disagree with his politics or if you just want someone to blame because you don't drive your dream car. I personally don't agree with his politics, but I understand that he's doing the best that he can with what he's been given. I doubt that I could do any better if I were in his shoes.